Morgan–McClure Motorsports: Difference between revisions

Morgan–McClure Motorsports
Owner(s)	Tim Morgan; Larry McClure
Base	Abingdon, Virginia, United States
Series	Sprint Cup Series
Race drivers	Mark Martin; Rick Wilson; Ernie Irvan; Sterling Marlin; Bobby Hamilton; Mike Skinner; Jimmy Spencer; Mike Wallace; Eric McClure; Scott Wimmer; Ward Burton
Sponsors	Eastman Kodak; Lucas Oil; AERO Exhaust; State Water Heaters; Kodak
Manufacturer	Pontiac; Chevrolet; Oldsmobile
Opened	1982
Closed	2012
Career
Debut	1983 Winston 500
Latest race	2009 Sharpie 500
Races competed	703
Drivers' Championships	0
Race victories	14
Pole positions	13

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Revision as of 10:29, 8 December 2018

Morgan–McClure Motorsports was an American auto racing team that competed in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series full-time until 2007 and it had been in operation for 27 years, starting in 1982. The team was most notable for running the No. 4 from 1983 to 2009.

History

Starting out

Morgan–McClure Motorsports was owned by business partners Larry McClure and Tim Morgan. It began in 1983 when the two purchased a race car from G. C. Spencer. The car debuted at Talladega Superspeedway and was piloted by Connie Saylor. The car finished 40th after suffering engine failure. After firing Connie because they wanted a younger driver and after obtaining the rights to No. 4 & the car he drove for G. C. Spencer, Mark Martin took over the driving duties later that year, and had one top-10 finish. In 1984, the team signed Folgers as a sponsor and began racing as car No. 4. Tommy Ellis ran twenty races that year for the team, with Lennie Pond and Joe Ruttman running the rest of the schedule. Ruttman drove sixteen races for them next season, notching one top-5 and four top-10 finishes. In 1986, MMM got Eastman Kodak sponsorship and signed Rick Wilson to handle the driving chores. Wilson got the team its first pole position at Bristol Motor Speedway in 1988, its first full season on the circuit. When Wilson announced he was leaving the team in 1989, the team was eighth in points.

The prime years

For the 1990 season, the team hired Phil Parsons, but after three races, Parsons was released in favor of Ernie Irvan. In his first race with the team, Irvan started 30th, and finished third. Two races later, Irvan won his first pole position at Bristol Motor Speedway. The team switched from Oldsmobile to Chevrolet in order to get more manufacturer support. Their first race after the switch was at Bristol, and Irvan picked up first career victory, as well as the first victory for MMM. The next season, Irvan won the Daytona 500 and The Bud at the Glen (The latter was marred by the death of popular veteran J. D. McDuffie). When the checkered flag fell at the end of the season, the team was fifth in points. The next season, Irvan won three races over a two-month stretch, at Sears Point International Raceway, the Pepsi 400 at the Daytona International Speedway, and at Talladega Superspeedway, respectively. In 1993, Irvan won the pole twice, as well as a victory at Talladega. When Davey Allison died in an aircraft accident, Robert Yates asked Irvan to take his place. Irvan wanted out of his contract with MMM, and it ensued into an ugly lawsuit. Irvan was able to get out, but there were hurt feelings on both sides.

For the 1994 season, the team hired Sterling Marlin to drive. In his first race in the team, Marlin won the Daytona 500, beating out, ironically, Irvan. Marlin won the 500 the next year as well, in addition to two more races at Darlington Speedway and Talladega. In 1996, Marlin won two races, at Talladega and the Pepsi 400 at Daytona.

Struggles

After the team went winless with Marlin in 1997, finishing 25th in points, the team and driver decided to part ways. MMM hired two-time race winner Bobby Hamilton. Hamilton led 378 out of 500 laps and won from the pole at Martinsville Speedway and finished 10th in the final points standings. Soon, the team was not able repeat its success, and Hamilton left for Andy Petree Racing in 2001. He was replaced by Robby Gordon, but Gordon struggled in the ride and was released after just five races. Mike Skinner and Kevin Lepage shared the driving duties for two years without much success. In 2003, MMM switched to Pontiac. They lost their Kodak sponsorship in 2004, but MMM remained open, switching back to Chevrolet (almost being required to do so, as Pontiac had withdrawn from the Cup series at the end of 2003). Jimmy Spencer drove the car most of that year, and team co-owner Jerry McClure's son Eric drove another team car to finish 26th at Talladega Superspeedway. For 2005, the team signed Lucas Oil as a sponsor, and hired Mike Wallace to drive. Wallace was replaced by John Andretti, P. J. Jones, and Todd Bodine for some of the races in 2005. In 2006, Scott Wimmer was announced as the 2006 driver with new sponsorship from the Utah-based AERO Exhaust. Wimmer had an average start of 35th and average of finish 29th, no wins, top fives, or top tens. On October 3, 2006, Larry McClure announced that the team and Wimmer parted ways. They hired Todd Bodine to drive the next two races, Charlotte and Atlanta, until they could find a permanent replacement. The last three races the team hired veteran Ward Burton, who at the time had not driven in NEXTEL Cup in several years. On December 12, 2006, MMM announced they signed Burton to take full-time seat in 2007 with sponsorship from State Water Heaters. Burton was released before the last race of the 2007 season. Furthermore, Morgan–McClure Motorsports shut down weeks shy of the 2008 Daytona 500 due to financial problems, but had agreed to let Mike Wallace drive in the 2008 Daytona 500 if sponsorship was found. Sponsorship was found, but Larry McClure said that he was tired of just sliding by and would come back when major sponsorship could be secured. When Tony Stewart announced on August 14 that Ryan Newman would drive the No. 4 car in 2009, Morgan–McClure Motorsports protested. Tim Morgan stated, "There's some sweat and history in that number 4. We feel like it ours,^[1]" in an article for the Bristol Herald Courier. After discussions with MMM and NASCAR, on August 18 Stewart announced that Newman would drive the No. 39 instead of a No. 4 car in 2009. In 2014 Stewart did acquire the No. 4 to use with driver Kevin Harvick, who replaced Newman and the No. 39 in the 2014 season.

Rumors indicated that Morgan–McClure Motorsports would prepare a No. 4 Chevy to attempt the 2009 Daytona 500, but this did not happen. On April 11, 2009, the team made public their intentions to attempt the Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway with driver Eric McClure in the No. 4 Hefty/Walmart Chevy, however the team failed to qualify for the race. Scott Wimmer attempted to qualify the car at Bristol. Wimmer made the event, Morgan–McClure's first start since 2007. He finished 29th.

Since 2009, legal problems have prevented Morgan–McClure from actively competing. Larry McClure was charged with federal income tax fraud for not reporting $269,000 for cars used in the ARCA series. He was also forced to pay back $60,000 to Eastman-Kodak for falsifying an invoice. McClure spent eighteen months in jail and works at a family car dealership.

MMM returned to Sprint Cup at Bristol in August 2010, but Kevin Lepage failed to qualify for the race. The team has not attempted another race. The team closed its doors in 2012.^{[citation needed]}

Driver history

Connie Saylor (1983)
Mark Martin (1983)
Lennie Pond (1984)
Tommy Ellis (1984)
Joe Ruttman (1984–85)
Rick Wilson (1986–89)
Lake Speed (1986)
A. J. Foyt (1987)
Phil Parsons (1990)
Ernie Irvan (1990–93)
Jeff Purvis (1993)
Joe Nemechek (1993)
Jimmy Hensley (1993)
Sterling Marlin (1994–97)
Bobby Hamilton (1998–2000)
Robby Gordon (2001)
Kevin Lepage (2001, 2003–2004, 2010 Bristol August, but DNQ)
Bobby Hamilton Jr. (2001)
Mike Skinner (2002–03)
Johnny Miller (2003; road races only)
Stacy Compton (2003)
Johnny Sauter (2003)
Brett Bodine (2003; DNQ at Pocono & Indianapolis)
P. J. Jones (2003 Watkins Glen; 2005 road races; 2006 Sonoma)
Jimmy Spencer (2004)
Eric McClure (2004, 2006, 2009 Talladega April, but DNQ)
Mike Wallace (2004–05)
John Andretti (2005 Michigan in August)
Todd Bodine (2005–07)
Scott Wimmer (2006; 2009 Bristol August; Dover September; but DNQ)
Ward Burton (2006–07)

Motorsports career results

NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Car No. 4 results

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series results
Year	Driver	No.	Make	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	32	33	34	35	36	Owners	Pts
1983	Connie Saylor	4	Olds	DAY	RCH	CAR	ATL	DAR	NWS	MAR	TAL 40	NSV	DOV	BRI	CLT	RSD	POC																							^{[N 1]}
	Mark Martin		Olds															MCH 27	DAY 19	NSV	POC		MCH 18	BRI	DAR 17	RCH	DOV	MAR	NWS
	Mark Martin		Chevy																			TAL 10								CLT 33	CAR	ATL	RSD
1984	Lennie Pond			DAY 13	RCH 20	CAR 25	ATL 39																																	^{[N 1]}
	Tommy Ellis							BRI 28	NWS 29	DAR 23	MAR 29	TAL 13	NSV 14	DOV	CLT 14	RSD	POC	MCH 38	DAY 14	NSV 11	POC 34	TAL 9	MCH 36	BRI 28	DAR 19	RCH 15	DOV 34	MAR 17	CLT 33	NWS 14
	Joe Ruttman																														CAR 34	ATL 35	RSD 10
1985	Joe Ruttman			DAY 17	RCH	CAR 6	ATL 26	BRI 29	DAR 11	NWS	MAR	TAL 30	DOV	CLT 7	RSD	POC 35	MCH	DAY 35	POC	TAL 33	MCH	BRI 13	DAR 9	RCH	DOV 33	MAR	NWS	CLT 5	CAR 40	ATL 32	RSD									^{[N 1]}
1986	Rick Wilson		Olds	DAY 7	RCH	CAR	ATL 39	BRI 12	DAR 15	NWS	MAR						MCH 8	DAY 21	POC 10	TAL 11	GLN 23	MCH 40	BRI 26	DAR 28	RCH	DOV 32	MAR	NWS	CLT 29	CAR	ATL 14	RSD 40								^{[N 1]}
	Rick Wilson		Chevy									TAL 8	DOV
	Lake Speed		Olds											CLT 14	RSD	POC
1987	Rick Wilson			DAY 37	CAR	RCH	ATL 11	DAR 34	NWS	BRI	MAR	TAL 20	CLT 30	DOV 29	POC	RSD 14	MCH 30	DAY 30	POC 40	TAL 16	GLN 21	MCH 12	BRI 7	DAR 28	RCH	DOV 27	MAR	NWS	CLT 30	CAR	RSD 18	ATL 27								^{[N 1]}
1988				DAY 15	RCH DNQ	CAR 36	ATL 10	DAR 27	BRI 25	NWS 28	MAR 25	TAL 35	CLT 18*	DOV 7	RSD 33	POC 25	MCH 41	DAY 2	POC 13	TAL 4	GLN 12	MCH 9	BRI 23	DAR 38	RCH 33	DOV 24	MAR 16	CLT 25	NWS 20	CAR 22	PHO 29	ATL 17								^{[N 1]}
1989				DAY 8	CAR 17	ATL 6	RCH 17	DAR 11	BRI 21	NWS 30	MAR 4	TAL 15	CLT 35	DOV 14	SON 8	POC 27	MCH 6	DAY 29	POC 25	TAL 5	GLN 8	MCH 32	BRI 27	DAR 11	RCH 22	DOV 19	MAR 18	CLT 41	NWS 29	CAR 13	PHO 40	ATL 18								^{[N 1]}
1990	Phil Parsons			DAY 42	RCH 26	CAR 14																																		^{[N 1]}
	Ernie Irvan						ATL 3	DAR 32	BRI 16	NWS 16	MAR 15	TAL 4	CLT 5	DOV 7	SON 7	POC 17	MCH 2	DAY 33	POC 26								MAR 11	NWS 6
			Chevy																	TAL 6	GLN 28	MCH 35	BRI 1	DAR 2	RCH 12	DOV 26			CLT 27	CAR 9	PHO 9	ATL 7
1991				DAY 1	RCH 27	CAR 6	ATL 14	DAR 7	BRI 2	NWS 10	MAR 15	TAL 32	CLT 7	DOV 4	SON 4	POC 6	MCH 5	DAY 5*	POC 7*	TAL 33	GLN 1*	MCH 7	BRI 18	DAR 2	RCH 4	DOV 28	MAR 4	NWS 33	CLT 30	CAR 31	PHO 6	ATL 2								^{[N 1]}
1992				DAY 28	CAR 11	RCH 15	ATL 25	DAR 26	BRI 24	NWS 13	MAR 25	TAL 5	CLT 2	DOV 4	SON 1	POC 19	MCH 30	DAY 1*	POC 37	TAL 1	GLN 3*	MCH 4	BRI 28	DAR 25	RCH 11	DOV 11	MAR 27	NWS 6	CLT 6	CAR 2	PHO 34	ATL 29								^{[N 1]}
1993				DAY 37	CAR 3	RCH 11	ATL 2	DAR 22	BRI 23	NWS 11	MAR 32	TAL 1	SON 2	CLT 5	DOV 32	POC 34	MCH 3	DAY 7	NHA 15	POC 31	TAL 2	GLN 15	MCH 32	BRI 26																^{[N 1]}
	Jeff Purvis																								DAR 26	RCH 16	DOV 13	MAR 17	NWS 25
	Joe Nemechek																													CLT 25	CAR 23
	Jimmy Hensley																															PHO 32	ATL 25
1994	Sterling Marlin			DAY 1	CAR 2	RCH 19	ATL 25	DAR 34	BRI 8	NWS 17	MAR 27	TAL 8	SON 29	CLT 15	DOV 8	POC 38	MCH 34	DAY 28	NHA 10	POC 12	TAL 5	IND 14	GLN 26	MCH 34	BRI 6	DAR 5	RCH 13	DOV 30	MAR 7	NWS 31	CLT 36	CAR 14	PHO 3	ATL 40						14th	3443
1995				DAY 1*	CAR 12	RCH 5	ATL 7	DAR 1	BRI 9	NWS 7	MAR 13	TAL 39	SON 7	CLT 4	DOV 7	POC 4	MCH 7	DAY 2*	NHA 9	POC 18	TAL 1	IND 7	GLN 21	MCH 4	BRI 7	DAR 10	RCH 33	DOV 6	MAR 23	NWS 15	CLT 6	CAR 6	PHO 12	ATL 2						3rd	4361
1996				DAY 40	CAR 6	RCH 11	ATL 13	DAR 11	BRI 18	NWS 5	MAR 10	TAL 1*	SON 15	CLT 6	DOV 41	POC 11	MCH 3*	DAY 1*	NHA 29	POC 6	TAL 29	IND 39	GLN 11	MCH 33	BRI 18	DAR 8	RCH 21	DOV 17	MAR 31	NWS 11	CLT 4	CAR 13	PHO 27	ATL 15						8th	3682
1997				DAY 5	CAR 20	RCH 19	ATL 23	DAR 32	TEX 8	BRI 20	MAR 21	SON 26	TAL 39	CLT 40	DOV 10	POC 15	MCH 17	CAL 36	DAY 3	NHA 22	POC 20	IND 43	GLN 13	MCH 43	BRI 10	DAR 40	RCH 39	NHA 39	DOV 27	MAR 39	CLT 20	TAL 38	CAR 9	PHO 27	ATL 11					25th	2954
1998	Bobby Hamilton			DAY 12	CAR 9	LVS 20	ATL 21	DAR 35	BRI 18	TEX 26	MAR 1*	TAL 30	CAL 27	CLT 20	DOV 17	RCH 16	MCH 38	POC 20	SON 2	NHA 15	POC 20	IND 20	GLN 13	MCH 20	BRI 11	NHA 34	DAR 23	RCH 6	DOV 10	MAR 14	CLT 4	TAL 15	DAY 21	PHO 21	CAR 6	ATL 6				10th	3786
1999				DAY 29	CAR 9	LVS 24	ATL 12	DAR 7	TEX 29	BRI 18	MAR 33	TAL 31	CAL 30	RCH 4	CLT 13	DOV 21	MCH 31	POC 10	SON 11	DAY 8	NHA 16	POC 17	IND 38	GLN 22	MCH 35	BRI 41	DAR 7	RCH 7	NHA 11	DOV 30	MAR 30	CLT 22	TAL 9	CAR 10	PHO 23	HOM 25	ATL 10			13th	3564
2000				DAY 43	CAR 40	LVS 34	ATL 13	DAR 7	BRI 15	TEX 16	MAR 18	TAL 43	CAL 18	RCH 31	CLT 34	DOV 27	MCH 43	POC 40	SON 16	DAY 36	NHA 22	POC 39	IND 40	GLN 16	MCH 14	BRI 34	DAR 22	RCH 38	NHA 35	DOV 25	MAR 35	CLT 34	TAL 36	CAR 9	PHO 43	HOM 31	ATL 16			32nd	2715
2001	Robby Gordon			DAY 37	CAR 26	LVS 34	ATL 20	DAR 29																																37th	2759
	Kevin Lepage								BRI 15	TEX 11	MAR 18	TAL 42	CAL DNQ	RCH 27	CLT 35	DOV 24	MCH 31	POC 21	SON 43	DAY 31	CHI 34	NHA 30	POC 42	IND DNQ	GLN 33	MCH 38	BRI 13	DAR 28	RCH 39	DOV 16	KAN 13
	Bobby Hamilton Jr.																															CLT 33		TAL 14	PHO 38	CAR 17	HOM 35	ATL 15	NHA 37
	Rich Bickle																																MAR 31
2002	Mike Skinner			DAY 23	CAR 36	LVS 34	ATL 28	DAR 20	BRI 23	TEX 12	MAR 25	TAL 23	CAL 31	RCH 28	CLT 24	DOV 22	POC 37	MCH 30	SON 12	DAY 37	CHI 23	NHA 38	POC 29	IND 36	GLN 40	MCH 28	BRI 29	DAR 38	RCH 22	NHA 43	DOV 19	KAN 32	TAL 28	CLT 24	MAR 33	ATL 26	CAR 6	PHO 24	HOM 36	35th	2886
2003	Mike Skinner		Pontiac	DAY 37	CAR 17	LVS 39	ATL 30	DAR 11	BRI 41	TEX 40	TAL 31	MAR 35	CAL 20	RCH 35	CLT 20	DOV 36	POC 34	MCH DNQ																						40th	2483
	Johnny Miller																		SON 24
	Stacy Compton																			DAY 33						MCH DNQ
	Johnny Sauter																				CHI 35	NHA 23					BRI 25		RCH 28	NHA 32			KAN DNQ
	Brett Bodine																						POC DNQ
	Robert Pressley																							IND DNQ
	P. J. Jones																								GLN 24
	Kevin Lepage																											DAR 15			DOV 27	TAL DNQ		CLT 21	MAR 35	ATL 14	PHO 23	CAR 42	HOM 18
2004	Kevin Lepage		Chevy	DAY 32	CAR 22	LVS 36	ATL 36	DAR 28	BRI 30																															36th	2509
	Jimmy Spencer									TEX 29	MAR 38	TAL 20	CAL 38	RCH 41	CLT 29	DOV 17	POC 23	MCH 28	SON	DAY 29	CHI 25	NHA 23	POC 23	IND 19	GLN 42	MCH 31	BRI 31	CAL 32	RCH 33	NHA 38	DOV 26	TAL 40	KAN 25	CLT 29	MAR 35
	Mike Wallace																																			ATL DNQ	PHO 29	DAR 38	HOM 33
2005	Mike Wallace			DAY 41	CAL 25	LVS 24	ATL 40	BRI 34	MAR 23	TEX 25	PHO 27	TAL 28	DAR 24	RCH 29	CLT 16	DOV 28	POC 31	MCH 43	SON QL^†	DAY 8	CHI 25	NHA 38	POC 29	IND DNQ			BRI 17		RCH 14	NHA 22	DOV 22	TAL 19	KAN 35	CLT 43	MAR 35	ATL DNQ	TEX 36	PHO DNQ		36th	2640
	P. J. Jones																		SON 32						GLN 42
	John Andretti																									MCH 28		CAL DNQ
	Todd Bodine																																						HOM 20
2006	Scott Wimmer			DAY DNQ	CAL 39	LVS 32	ATL 30	BRI 19	MAR 28	TEX 28	PHO 30	TAL 21	RCH 36	DAR 33	CLT 27	DOV 34	POC DNQ	MCH 31		DAY DNQ	CHI 34	NHA 20	POC 38	IND 20	GLN 25	MCH DNQ	BRI 42	CAL 30	RCH 29	NHA 31	DOV 36	KAN DNQ								39th	2340
	P. J. Jones																		SON 36
	Todd Bodine																																TAL DNQ	CLT 19		ATL 42
	Ward Burton																																		MAR 26		TEX 25	PHO 28	HOM DNQ
2007	Ward Burton			DAY DNQ	CAL DNQ	LVS 43	ATL DNQ	BRI 18	MAR DNQ	TEX DNQ	PHO 36	TAL 36	RCH 35	DAR DNQ	CLT DNQ	DOV 41	POC 33	MCH DNQ	SON DNQ	NHA 43	DAY DNQ	CHI 41	IND 14	POC 43	GLN DNQ	MCH 20	BRI 33	CAL DNQ	RCH DNQ	NHA 41	DOV DNQ	KAN DNQ	TAL DNQ	CLT 43	MAR 38	ATL DNQ	TEX DNQ	PHO DNQ		46th	1531
2007	Todd Bodine																																						HOM DNQ	46th	1531
2009	Eric McClure	4	Chevy	DAY	CAL	LVS	ATL	BRI	MAR	TEX	PHO	TAL DNQ	RCH	DAR	CLT	DOV	POC	MCH	SON	NHA	DAY	CHI	IND	POC	GLN	MCH														55th	135
2009	Scott Wimmer																										BRI 29	ATL	RCH	NHA	DOV DNQ	KAN	CAL	CLT	MAR	TAL	TEX	PHO	HOM	55th	135
2010	Kevin Lepage			DAY	CAL	LVS	ATL	BRI	MAR	PHO	TEX	TAL	RCH	DAR	DOV	CLT	POC	MCH	SON	NHA	DAY	CHI	IND	POC	GLN	MCH	BRI DNQ	ATL	RCH	NHA	DOV	KAN	CAL	CLT	MAR	TAL	TEX	PHO	HOM	61st	25

Footnotes

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k unknown

References

^ http://www.tricities.com/tri/sports/motor_sports/nextel/article/morgan_mcclure_owners_not_happy_over_losing_their_number_in_nascar_sprint_c/12805/l^{[permanent dead link]}

External links

Official website

[unknown-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k unknown

[1] ttp://www.tricities.com/tri/sports/motor_sports/nextel/article/morgan_mcclure_owners_not_happy_over_losing_their_number_in_nascar_sprint_c/12805/l^{[permanent dead link]}

[1]

[N 1]

v t e Morgan–McClure Motorsports
Years active	1982–2012
Personnel	Tim Morgan Larry McClure Mitch Gibson
NASCAR Hall of Fame	Mark Martin
Former drivers	John Andretti Rich Bickle Brett Bodine Todd Bodine Ward Burton Stacy Compton Tommy Ellis A. J. Foyt Robby Gordon Jimmy Hensley Bobby Hamilton Bobby Hamilton Jr. Ernie Irvan P. J. Jones Kevin Lepage Sterling Marlin Mark Martin Eric McClure Johnny Miller Joe Nemechek Phil Parsons Lennie Pond Robert Pressley Jeff Purvis David Reutimann Joe Ruttman Johnny Sauter Connie Saylor Mike Skinner Lake Speed Jimmy Spencer Mike Wallace Rick Wilson Scott Wimmer
Daytona 500 wins	1991 (Irvan) 1994 (Marlin) 1995 (Marlin)
Winston 500 wins	1993 (Irvan) 1996 (Marlin)